


Secret Santa

by beautiful_as_endless



Category: Heneral Luna (2015)
Genre: Holiday Special, Merry Christmas, Multi, labyu guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-08 12:27:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5497049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautiful_as_endless/pseuds/beautiful_as_endless
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Love sometimes come in unexpected places - especially requitted love. Sometimes all it takes is a small push, and the magic of Christmas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Secret Santa

If there's one thing you've learned since you started working in Clark Airbase, it's that  _coffee is love, coffee is life._

The thing is, it's not that you're sleep-deprived. If ever you get sleep-deprived, it would always by choice. After all, you're just a junior web designer and there are even some times that it just boils down to selecting the right color palette and editing some images. Sometimes all of that gets awfully boring but the pay is good and the people are fantastic.

Well, most of them.

That other junior web designer, irritatingly flirty Gregorio del Pilar, gets on your nerves most of the time. The rest of the team tells you to ignore him, that he flirts with ladies from the other team too. Despite his good looks and that confident air that surrounds him, it seems like he's never been effective - not even once. While he apparently stops once a girl rejects his advances, he seems to take joy in being irritating by incessantly hitting on you.

You decide to confide in your squad - all of them around the same age as you, and all of them male.

According to one of the content writers, Ed Rusca, he's never had any luck with girls since high school. EJ Jacinto from the graphics department notes that Goyong only ever went out with one girl way back in highschool before he started being rejected over and over.

"Siguro may sumpa siya," your cousin and junior programmer Nonong Quezon notes before turning back to his codes. "Balita ko may number two yung ex niya bago siya nakipaghiwalay."

You just snicker at that and turn back to your work. It's been six months since you've joined the team and yet you're still not used to the man's inept flirting. He's a year older than you but sometimes it feels like he's the younger one.

It's not that you'd care, not really. He's irritating and you're better off being barely anything than civil with him. You know that nothing would come out of whatever he's doing, and he'll probably end up breaking hearts once someone finally gives in to his flirting.

He's incredibly  _attractive_ though.

Of course,  _everyone_ finds Goyong attractive. Who wouldn't, with his smooth and fair skin, those lovely brown eyes, that playful grin? Of course, everyone loses interest the moment that he opens his mouth - you most of all as he never stops pestering you.

* * *

It comes as a surprise to you when he suddenly drops his flirtatious persona.

It's just a normal Friday noon. You take your lunch alone that day as the rest of the squad decided to eat out - today of all days, when it's so close to payday. You're left alone with your sandwich and your phone, preoccupied with the new game you've been hooked to.

He slides down to the empty seat beside yours.

"Iniwan ka nanaman ba nina Ed?" he asks quietly, never taking his eyes off his phone.

You glare at him and stare at your phone. "Mind your own business nalang, Goyong," you growl.

He shrugs, still blatantly looking at anything but you. "Sige." There's something odd about him that day. Despite your blatant annoyance, there's always the easily comfortable way that he acted around you. Right now he's acting very distant, as if he's building an icy wall between the two of you.

You despise him but somehow it also  _hurt._

A few minutes pass in silence before you decide to break it. "May problema ka ba sa akin, ha?"

He keeps his eyes on his phone. "Wala." There's nothing sultry about his speech - as if he's not talking to a woman at all.

"Eh kung ganun pala, bakit ganyan kang magsalita?" You frown, not exactly sure why it's bothering you. You've always detested him, and treated him with minimum tolerance at best. "Nakakapanibago."

He turns to you, a shadow upon those brown eyes of his. Why exactly are you looking at them without flinching? "Diba ayaw mo naman ang nilalandi?"

You stare at him, wondering where that came from. "As if naman iniisip mo yun dati," you point out.

He laughs. It comes out a little half-hearted though. "May punto ka. Ganito... uhm... we could start over naman diba?" he asks. "Friends?"

You raise an eyebrow, surprised at these sudden turn of events. "Friends?"

He nods, looking like a terrified boy all of a sudden. He blinks once, twice, thrice before he speaks. "Kung hindi man magkaibigan at least man lang maging civil tayo sa isa't isa... kung oks lang sayo." He smiles - the first honest-to-goodness smile you see on his face without any trace of flirting - and looks down.

"Pwede naman siguro," you say after a brief pause. You're not sure what he's _playing_ at but it won't hurt to try figuring it out along the way. You smile and extend your hand - as if meeting him for the first time. "Hi, ako si [Y/N]."

His smile widens and yet stays genuine. He takes your hand in his - and you are distracted by how  _soft_ his skin is. "Hi, ako si Gregorio del Pilar. Just call me Goyong."

* * *

He does keep his word and stays away from flirting - not just with you but also your other female colleagues. He begins spending his breaks with you and your friends to everyone's surprise. Ed doesn't seem to mind as they were actually classmates both in high school and college. EJ doesn't mind either - well, he doesn't mind anything much as long as you didn't disturb you with anything he's currently preoccupied with.

Nonong is a different matter, though.

"Hoy, del Pilar," he says one time as the five of you are waiting for the company shuttle. "Wag mong sasabihing nagpapabebe ka na ngayon kay [Y/N]!"

Goyong purses his lips as he stares at your friend. "Bakit nanaman?" he asks. "Hindi ba pwedeng nakikipagkaibigan lang?"

Nonong narrows his eyes. "Dadaan ka muna samin ni Ed at ni EJ," 

Goyong laughs - and you're struck by how easily he could deflect your cousin's hostility. "Wag kang mag-alala, ikaw naman. Wala naman akong binabalak."

You're still not sure why that disappointed you.

* * *

FInding out that he's actually more than just being superficially beautiful comes as a surprise.

There are some times that the two of you end up eating together, especially when it's close to payday and you have to conserve money. It seems like both of you usually run on a tight budget.

He laughs when you ask him why. "Pwera sa nagbibigay ako ng pera sa mga magulang ko? Nag-iipon din ako para may narereward ko yung sarili ko kahit minsan lang every month."

And there you were thinking that you were the only one who did it. Your eyes widen as he speaks, and you find yourself nodding alone. "Ganun din ako. Usually bumibili ako ng mga libro, ganun, pag minsan naman dagdag ipon."

He nods along, his eyes lighting up in enthusiasm. "Mga manga din at mga anime merchandise!" He smiles angelically, making you catch your breath. "Fan din pala ako ni Terry Pratchett at Neil Gaiman. Nakolekta ko na yung Sandman series. Videogames din kung afford - Skyrim, Diablo III, Dragon Age..."

You have to blink rapidly when you realize that you've been reading and buying the exact same things. "History books din, Pugad Baboy, mga gawa ni Bob Ong," you add. "Yung mga comics din ni Manix Abrera..." You stop when you catch him _smiling_. It's not actually anything flirty or teasing but it sends a jolt down your spine.

Why does he have to be so  _damn_ attractive?

* * *

"Anong ginawa mo kay Goyong?" Ate Isabel, senior quality analyst, asks over one of your breaks. "Ang laki ng pinagbago niya ah."

Her husband, Kuya Tonyo Luna from the IT department nods thoughtfully. "Wala na siyang nilalandi - kahit yung mga trainees ko."

You feel yourself turn red from the intensity of their gazes. "W-Wala po akong kinalaman diyan," you insist. "Baka naman po talagang nagbabagong buhay lang yung ulikbang patatas na yun?"

Kuya Tonyo aughs and pets your head. "Sa ganyan din kami nagumpisa ng Ate Isabel mo, huy!"

Ate Isabel herself smiles at you, eyes glittering in amusement. "Uy, bagay naman kayo ni Goyong ha. At gwapo siya. Mukhang okay naman pag hindi nakasumpong yung kalandian."

You fan yourself and try to look at anything but your seniors. You can't deny that you're attracted to your friend, but hey, it's hard not to be, now that you're getting to know him beneath the face and the pretense of flirting. "W-wala lang po yun, kayo naman po. Barkada ko lang po siya saka papatayin kami pareho ni Nonong ah."

You're not really sure if they're convinced - or if you convinced yourself about  _something_ you can't quite point out, for that matter.

* * *

It doesn't help that you find yourself hooked to the conversations that you now have with him. Aside from discussing everything and anything under the son, you end up sharing your opinions over things you've been watching, reading, and playing. It's not just that you find him interesting - you realize that you're interested in him.

Try as hard as you might to deny it, you've fallen in love - and you've fallen hard.

Knowing his tendency to flirt  - even if he's stopped doing it - you decide against letting him know of your feelings. After all, when was it ever a good idea for a woman to confess to a man? It will only feed his ego and you'll definitely end up hurt in the end.

_C'est le point?_

* * *

The months pass and December arrives. You still do your best to act as if nothing's different. You remain cordial to him and close to the rest of the squad - though even usually oblivious EJ gives odd looks whenever you and Goyong are talking to each other. Nonong asks and asks and asks about what's going on between the two of you. Of course you have no choice but to deny. Goyong just gives your cousin a nervous laugh.

The first of December arrives and you're surprised to find a small giftwrapped box in your locker. You squint, wondering who could have put it there. Only two people know the passcode, after all - Nonong and Ed. You have a gut feeling that it's neither of them, though of course you have no means to refute or confirm your suspicions. You shrug and decide to just have a look at it on your break. It might not even be yours in the first place - or it could just be some kind of prank.

Kuya Andoy Bonifacio, one of the senior web designers, nods at you as you settle down on your workstation. "Morning," he says, sipping from his coffee. He has his customary smile on his face though it looks mischievous today. "May naghahanap sayo kanina."

You raise your eyebrows as you log into your computer. "Sino naman, kuya?" You let out a soft curse as the screen freezes.

He smiles and lets out a chuckle. "Ah, Secret Santa mo daw. Siya na daw magpapakilala sayo sa Christmas party natin."

You scowl as you finally get your computer to work. "Ba't sinabi mo pa?"

"Kasi pinapasabi niyang ano, I love you daw." He laughs before taking another sip of his coffee. "Young love nga naman."

Well, you're pretty much sure that it's some kind of a joke. Who would ever profess their love to anyone that way? Besides, who in their right mind would fall in _you_ , of all people? You've never felt particularly beautiful or attractive. You don't even feel  _interesting_ nor smart enough for anyone to take notice and being one of the boys never helped one bit. You know very well that you've been tagged as _no boyfriend since birth.  
_

Not that you've really thought that much about romance and all it entailed until you've become friends with Goyong del Pilar.

Speaking of Goyong, he finds you in the break room during your morning break as you try to pry your Secret Santa's gift open. Oddly enough, he sits across the table from you instead of his customary seat to your right. He stares intently at the gift that you're meticulously unwrapping and raises an eyebrow as you lock gazes with him.

"Ang aga naman ng Pasko mo," he notes with a small grin. "Sinong nagbigay ng gift sayo?"

You shrug and tell him about the Secret Santa joke. All of your focus is on the gift you finally unwrapped, opening it to reveal a new copy of your favorite book. You know that it has two different versions of the cover, each depicting a different main character, but you never expected to own  _both._ After all, having two copies of the same book was not practical.

There was a small sticky note attached to the back.

_To: [Y/N]_

_Because you're simply ineffable. :)_

_From: Your Secret Santa_

You look up and catch Goyong still staring at you. You scowl at him and quickly return the book to its box. "A-ano?" you ask, cheeks burning red.

He leans forward and smiles - he looks a little sad but you're not sure why. "Ang sweet naman niya. Diba favorite mo yan?"

You could only nod. You vaguely remember discussing it with him a few weeks ago. "Tinanong ka ba ng ulikbang to tungkol sakin, ha?"

He laughs and shrugs. "I can neither confirm or deny."

"Gago." You reach out to pinch his cheek, making him laugh. An electric jolt runs down the length of your spine and you quickly pull back.

Why exactly are you falling in love with the person you used to despise the most? Why are you falling in with him love now that he may or may not be your closest friend at work aside from your cousin? You know that life is never fair, but it seems like it just dealt a low blow - right below the belt as a matter of fact. You're not really sure whether to be amused or angry with yourself.

* * *

Everyone mentions your Secret Santa over the next three days but no one's willing to tell you  _who_ he or she is, exactly. Even Goyong, who usually tells you  _everything_ , is unusually tight-lipped. Rusca laughs at you when you try to pester him, and Nonong just gives you a resigned sigh. EJ, as usual, is mostly oblivious, though he does give you a knowing grin when you tell him about what happened.

"Ang dami nga namang magic na kayang gawin ng Christmas season," Kuya Pole Mabini, another of the senior web designers, notes as you bump into him on your way to the ground floor. "Lahat ata ng mga tao sa team natin tinakbuhan na ng Secret Santa mo para tulungan siya."

There's nothing left to do but sigh and smile. "Wag mong sasabihing pati sayo nagtanong siya tungkol sa akin?" you say tiredly.

He pauses, tapping on his wheelchair's arm rest thoughtfully. "Hindi naman sa ganoon, pero..." He pauses and shakes his head. "Humingi lang naman siya ng advice, wag kang mag-alala. Malalaman mo din sa Christmas party."

He wheels himself away, murmuring something about flat tops and coins.

Kuya Miong Aguinaldo from the IT department finds you just a few seconds later. He smiles at you while he smooths down his hoodie. "Uy, nakita mo si Pole?" he asks.

You nod and point to the elevator.

He smiles and ruffles your hair. "Excited na ako para sayo sa Christmas party," he says before leaving.

* * *

On the eighth of December, you find another gift in your locker. It's smaller than the previous one but you don't really mind. Hey, you're not asking for gifts, anyway.

As always, you wait for your break before you open the package. You spot Ate Isabel and her best friend, Kuya Andoy's wife Oryang from the content writing team. They seem to be whispering to each other, and Isabel winks when she catches you staring. You quickly look down, cheeks burning red. You're pretty sure that they're aware of  _who_ your Secret Santa is.

You open the gift. This time it's actually a new sketchpad, to your surprise. Few people at work know of your love for drawing - though of course your Secret Santa seems to have asked your friends more about you beforehand. You open the first page and see a small watercolor painting - your favorite character in the particular game that you're currently playing.

You smile fondly, wondering idly if your Secret Santa is someone from the graphic design team.

A shadow falls over you and you look up to see Joven Hernando from the web content team peering at the artwork with a smile. "Uy, ganda niyan ah! Ginawa ba ni Secret Santa mo?"

You let out a groan. As a former classmate of yours, he surely would have been approached by your Secret Santa. "Oo. Kilala mo?"

His boyfriend, senior programmer Paco Roman, chuckles as he approaches the two of you. "Kilala na ata siya ng buong fourth floor."

Joven taps his cheek idly and smiles. "Pero nagpromise kami na hindi namin siya ilalaglag so pasensya ka nalang."

You let out an exasperated sigh as they walk away.

* * *

The mystery of your Secret Santa eats up a lot of your free time at work as you try to analyze who it could be. It almost helps you take your mind off Goyong and the fact that he still drives you crazy. Well, the keyword there was  _almost._

Blocking out your thoughts of him is difficult when find yourselves walking together on the way home that Friday night - just the two of you. The traffic jam outside of the airbase means that walking part of the way would actually be much faster than the usual jeepney ride - sore legs be damned. Despite your best efforts to look the other way, you find yourself staring at him as you take a rest before a nearby sari-sari store.

He beams angelically when he notices you. "Ano?" he asks.

You beam back in spite of yourself. "Wala."

He shakes his head and turns away, eyes glued once again on the vividly fiery sky. "Yung Secret Santa mo..." he starts, as if hesitant to open the subject matter. "What do you think of him?"

 _Him?_ "So, lalake siya?" you ask. He nods, so you press on. "Para sakin sweet siya. Mukhang... ok naman pero, uh..." You couldn't go on, so close as you are in admitting your feelings. "Hayaan mo na. Baka hindi naman kasi kami talo."

He nods again and says nothing until you reach the the tricycle terminal where you will be parting ways. He puts his hands in his pockets as the two of you stop walking. There was an sadly distant look in his eyes as he stares and you're suddenly afraid that you would somehow  _lose_ him. He smiles and tucks away a stray lock of hair from your face. He leans forward and his smile fades away.

"Mag-iingat ka," he says quietly before walking away.

* * *

 

He sends you a link to Ramon Bautista's Tales from the Friend Zone that night via Facebook before logging out.

* * *

The way he acted that day haunts you over the weekend. You're not exactly sure what it meant - what  _he_ meant - but you're afraid. Very afraid. By the time you return to work on the fifteenth, the excitement over a new gift from your Secret Santa is greatly subdued by Goyong.

He still stays cordial enough when you sit side by side on your workstations, but there the air of melancholy surrounds him. You hope that it's not because of something you've done. You hope that he's not in pain. You hope that he's alright.

 _You hope, you hope, you hope._ Not that it would do you much good.

You stare blankly at the gift you slowly unwrap on the jeep ride home - a small, metallic bookmark shaped like a rearing dragon. You should be amused by the trinket. You should actually find it cute, as a matter of fact. But the mere fact that your Secret Santa seems to be upsetting Goyong is enough to bother you.

Nonong grabs the bookmark as soon as you unwrap it and peers at it. "Nako, naubusan ata ng funds ah," he notes with a smirk.

You grab it back half-heartedly with a grimace. "Ano ba?" you growl.

Ed wiggles his eyebrows at Goyong, who seems to be engrossed in his phone. "Pre, mukhang patay na patay na sakanya si Secret Santa ah. Kahit kapos sa budget go na go parin ang gago."

Goyong merely replies with a quiet, "Hindi naman ata sila talo."

He gives you a fleeting, sad smile when he disembarks from the jeep, but opts to say nothing.

And it breaks your heart even if you're not sure what  _exactly_ is going on.

* * *

The Bernal brothers - Manuel and Jose - hang around the locker room with Jose Alejandrino. The three men from the IT team watch you with oddly similar grins on their faces - even Alejandrino who isn't related to them.

Jose's smile widens even more when he notices you approaching and raises his hand in greeting. "[Y/N]!" he calls out happily. "May pinapasabi yung Secret Santa mo!"

You cross your arms and lean against the lockers. "Ano nanaman to?" you ask.  _So was there anyone in the fourth floor who absolutely had no idea about you and your Secret Santa?_

Jose snickers as he sees your reaction. "Chill, huy." He straightens up and shakes his head. "Wala daw siyang regalo ngayon. See you sa Christmas party daw."

Your mouth is still hanging open when they walk away. Alejandrino sassily winks at you before they leave your line of sight, making Manuel snicker.

The rest of the day is spent with you wondering about how to deal with your Secret Santa once he reveals himself. You're afraid - very afraid - of what you need to do should he make any romantic advances on you. Though you might not be interested in him  _that_ way, you wouldn't want to hurt his feelings. Besides, you might also end up revealing what you feel about Goyong.

* * *

You're not really sure about what the fourth floor heads were thinking when they decided to throw the joint Christmas party in a posh hotel. Well, not that anyone's complaining as the company is shouldering everything, but it does require everyone to dress up - and you're not the type of person who has clothes for every occassion. Your shirt, jeans, and ragged sneakers have always been enough for you.

Luckily you received a dress for your most recent birthday and it's still sitting unused at the bottom of your cabinet.

You've never been truly comfortable with wearing dresses as you feel irrationally vulnerable but you have no choice but to comply with your dress code.  You arrive at the venue with Nonong, who's actually busy with patting down his silver dress shirt. He glances at some women from the graphics design team and smiles. They smile back at him and one of them even blows him a kiss.

"Pag minsan alam mo din sino yung mga medyo desperado," he says with a sigh by the time you join the rest of the squad.

"Pero ikaw naman tong nageentertain," notes EJ, who is miraculously not distracted by some book or another. He shakes his head at your cousin. "May point ka naman eh."

Nonong smiles and shrugs. "Bawal na ba silang ngitian ngayon?"

EJ lets out an exasperated sigh. "Ewan ko sayo. Bahala ka diyan."

Ed looks up from his phone and smiles. "Nakita niyo ba si Goyong? Kanina ko pa siya hinahanap eh. Party na lang nga may hinihingi pang pabor ang gago."

You feel your stomach flipping at the mere mention of his name. You school your face into a neutral expression, aware that the three are all staring at you. "Hindi pa rin namin napansin eh. Napano? May atraso ba?"

Even over the dinner - which is the first activity outlined that night - Goyong does not show up. Ed and EJ attempt to call him but his phone seems to be unattended. Your cousin keeps shooting you glances, but you keep your cool. After all, it might not have anything to do with you. There are far worse things to worry about - such as dealing with your Secret Santa.

You're not even doing anything physically taxing and yet it feels like your head is spinning from turmoil. You're worrying about Goyong and what might have happened to him. Then there's the sudden distance he set between the two of you. And of course your Secret Santa is going to reveal his identity tonight, of all nights.

* * *

The program truly starts - including the talent show. Everyone involved were actually kept secret before for an element of surprise. Kuya Tonyo actually opens the show with his drumming skills. The IT department lets out a collective cheer as he absolutely  _owns_ the stage. You never really expected him to be a drummer, of all things, but judging from his temperament... You shake your head and smile.

Next up are Manuel and Alejandrino, shocking the entire venue with their knife juggling act. No one expected Ate Oryang's firedancing either, but there she was, making everyone cheer in surprise. You find yourself joining the whoops and claps.

As the night wore on, you find your anxiety begin to mount, creeping up your mind and slowly nibbling away your thoughts. Your throat constricts as you half-expect your Secret Santa to approach you while you're distracted. And then there's also the matter of Goyong still being out of reach. Not even Kuya Andoy was able to get in touch him.

Finally, the last contender for the talent show is called.

Goyong steps into the stage, guitar in hand, dressed sharply in a black dress shirt. He smiles at the spectators sadly. You could hear Ed whispering frantically and everyone moves away from you. Goyong awkwardly taps the microphone and clears his throat.

"Hi," he begins with a nervous laugh. He locks eyes with you before looking down. "Um, pasensya na sa mga naghahanap sa akin buong gabi. Medyo napabusy ako sa pagpractice."

"Hoy mamaya ka na magpabebe!" Ed hollers.

Goyong sticks out his tongue. He steels himself and continues speaking. "Nagpaalam naman ako at hinayaan nila ako to take this time to... ano... to confess that I'm in love with one of my closest friends. Hindi lang niya alam pero tinamaan na ako sakanya dati pa - around the time na humingi ako ng pagkakataon na maging kaibigan niya. Alam kong malamang hindi tayo talo. Ikaw na mismo ang nagsabi. Pero... [Y/N], ako ang Secret Santa mo."

Your jaw drops open.  _Goyong_ was your Secret Santa?

He starts singing. The defeaning roar of your thoughts and the earnestness of his voice drown out your senses, like a wave crashing upon the rocky shore. There you were, fretting over two matters without thinking that they were going to lead you to the same direction.

His song ends and he marches out of the stage. EJ stands and tugs at your sleeve. "Tara," he hisses.

Baffled, you follow him to the backstage where Goyong is returning his guitar to its case. He looks up and locks gazes with you. EJ slinks away, leaving the two of you while the program resumes outside the small bubble of semidarkness that you find yourselves in. Neither of you speak for a time, merely gazing at each other with muffled fondness. He smiles at you - as earnest as the day he offered to start over. "Pasensya na," he says quietly. "Sana hindi ka magalit sa ginawa ko."

You shake your head and chuckle. "Bakit naman ako magagalit? Ako nga yung natatakot na magalit ka sakin. Kasi..." You look away as you blush. "Kaya ko sinabing baka hindi kami talo ng Secret Santa ko? Kasi may gusto ako sayo. Masakit sakin nung bigla kang umiwas."

His eyes brighten at that and he leans forward. Your catch your breath as the scent of Old Spice fills your senses. You couldn't tear yourself away from his warm brown gaze and he smiles angelically, brightening his features blindingly. "Pasensya na dun. Akala ko kasi na-preemptive supalpal na ako. Natakot ako, pero dahil kay Ed tinuloy ko parin yung plano ko dito. Para umamin."

You raise your eyebrow. "Umamin _lang_?" There was no stopping the ridiculous smile that quirks up your lips.

"Manligaw din sana, kaso di ata tayo talo." The affectionate teasing in his voice warms your heart. "Hindi na ata ako marunong manligaw kasi magpaparamdam palang ako noon lagi na akong basted."

"Talo naman, nagkaroon lang ata ng maliit na misunderstanding." All the tension and worry rushes out of your body in the form of a breathless laugh. You lean forward to kiss his cheek shyly. "Ikaw pala ang Secret Santa ko. Ang sweet mo naman."

He smiles back and holds out a small box. He opens it to contain a small pendant of a soaring eagle. "Merry Christmas, [Y/N]."

"Nag-abala ka pa," you argue.

His smile widens as he brushes your hair away, putting the necklace and pendant in place. "Basta ba ikaw. Sigurado kang talo tayo ah."

You echo his smile, losing yourself in the moment. "Oo naman."

He leans forward for a kiss, the two of you forgetting the program outside, forgetting the world, forgetting your waiting friends.

A Merry Christmas, indeed, thanks to both the friend you are madly in love with and your Secret Santa. Truly, the loveliest gifts come in unexpected times and places - and from the most unexpected people too.


End file.
